Portable derricks with adjustably mounted earth boring apparatus



P 1956 R. o. BALOGH ETAL 3,244,239

PORTABLE DERRICKS WITH ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED EARTH BORING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l F|G.l

FIG.2

INVENTOR ROY O. BALOGH ROBERT G. BAKULA AT TOR NEY P 1966 R. o. BALOGH ETAL 3,244,239

PORTABLE DERRICKS WITH ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED EARTH BORING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1965 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

IIIII'IIIII FIG. 6

FIG. 7

INVENTOR ROY O. BALOGH ROBE RT G. BAKU LA United States Patent Office 3,244,239 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 .Hills, Mo., assignors to McCabe-Powers Body Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Jan; 7, 1963, Ser. No. 249,784 3 Claims. (Cl. 173-28) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in auxiliary devices for derricks and,

more particularly, to a portable derrick with adjustably mounted earth boring apparatus.

Many of the modern service and maintenance trucks .having portable derricks are usually equipped with auxiliary equipment for setting poles, removing or replacing worn-out or defective poles, drilling holes, driving poles, and performing other similar types of service and mainte- Qpance operations in the field. oftentimes, the derrick, which is mountedon the truck body, is provided with an auxiliary boom or stinger which is extensible with respect ,to the main boom. In such cases, the auxiliary equipment, such as earth augers, cannot be permanently attached to either the main boom or the auxiliary boom. If the auger were attached to the main boom, it would interrupt the operation of the auxiliary boom or stinger. "Moreover, if the auxiliary equipment, such as the earth auger, were attached to the auxiliary boom, it would always interfere with normal work operation when it was desired to use the auxiliary boom independent of any *auxiliary equipment. This, of course, is undesirable in fthat the auxiliary boom, for the most part, is not used with 'faccessory equipment. Generally speaking, the auxiliary fboom is provided with a powered winch and is used to lift heavy equipment, such as pole transformers and the "likefi Asa result thereof, the auxiliary equipment is not "permanently aflixed to either the main or auxiliary boom 'andmust be maintained in a special compartment within "the'truck body.

When it is desired to use such auxiliary equipment, the accessory limit, such as an auger or hole digger, must be attached to the main boom. When so used, the derrick is merely a handling or supporting boom. However, once attached, the auxiliary boom or stinger is no longer capable of functioning as such and is merely excess weight or baggage during the time that accessory equipment is being used on the main boom. .1 When the auxiliary operation, such as the digging of the 'hole or planting of the pole, has been performed, the auxiliary equipment must then be removed so that the derrick can be used for other purposes. This continual attachment and removal of auxiliary equipment to the derrick is laborsome and costly in terms of unproductive i time. Moreover, special compartments must be provided within the truck body itself to house such auxiliary equipment. Additionally, some of the accessory equipment is heavy and bulky and requires a number of men for afiixing to the main boom or stinger.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an attachment means for securing i accessory equipment to portable derricks.

.It is another object of the present invention to provide an attachment device'for securing accessory equipment,

such as earth angers and the like, to portable derricks .5 having an extensible stinger.

It'is a further object of the present invention to provide an earth auger which can be attached to the main boom;v of a derrick and optionally extended with an "auxiliary boom or stinger.

- It is an additional object of the present invention to iprovide. a combined derrick and hole digging device of the type stated in which the derrick functions and the hole digging functions are complementary to each other and yet do not interfere with each other.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets): v

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portable derrick and earth auger constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the derrick and earth auger of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the derrick and hole digger partially broken away;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines 4-4 and 5*5, respectively, of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the derrick and hole digger of FIG. 1 showing the hole digger in an extended position.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a single boom derrick unit which is similar to the derrick unit described in our copending application for patent for Single Boom Derrick Units, Serial No. 221,225, filed September 4, 1962, now Patent No. 3,154,199. For purposes of illustrating the present invention, a portion of the derrick unit A will be described in detail herein.

The derrick unit A includes a main boom 1 which is rectangular in cross-section and is formed with a pair of rolled steel U-shaped channels 2, 3. Welded to the upper and lower surfaces of the channels 2, 3, is a pair of connecting plates 4, 5, which form a tubular bore 6 also having a rectangular cross-section. Welded to each of the channels 2, 3, and extending laterally outwardly therefrom is a set of pocket-forming channels 7, 8, having vertical walls 9, 10, which are spaced from the vertical walls of the channels 2, 3, thereby defining elongated compartments 11, 12.

The main boom 1 integrally includes a pair of rearwardly extending ears 13 which are pivotally mounted on a mast assembly 14- by means of a pintle or pivot pin 15. The mast assembly 14 is more fully described in the aforementioned copending application and is, therefore, neither illustrated nor described in detail herein.

integrally formed with the mast assembly 14 is a pair of rearwardly projecting ears 16 for journaling a pivot pin 17, which, in turn, rockably supports the rearward end of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 18, the latter having an enlarged mounting boss 19 for rockable attachment to the pivot pin 17. Operatively mounted within the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 18 is a piston and piston rod assembly Ztlwhich terminates in an enlarged mounting boss 21 and is pivotally secured to a bracket 22 through a pivot pin or pintle 23, the bracket 22 being welded to the under side of the main boom 1. It should be noted that the derrick unit A is not limited to the construction as shown, and a link similar to the link employed in the aforementioned copending application may be interposed between the mast assembly 14 and the main boom 1, in which case a second hydraulic ram (not shown) may be employed to connect the link to the main boom 1.

Disposed within the bore 6 of the "main boom 1 and being adapted for extensible movement therein is an auxiliary boom or stinger 24. The construction of the auxiliary boom 24 is similar to the construction of the main boom 1 and consists of a pair of spaced opposed U-shaped channel members 25, 26, and welded to the upper and lower surfaces thereof are relatively heavy cona fleeting plates 27, 28, thereby forming tubular bore 29 of rectangular cross-section. Disposed Within and extending axially through the bore 29 of the auxiliary boom 24 is a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 30 which is secured at its rearward end to the main boom 1 through a pin 31. Operatively mounted within the cylinder 30 is a piston 32 which'is pivotally secured at its forward end to the auxiliary boom 24. Therefore, when hydraulic fluid is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 30 through suitable fluid-carrying lines (not shown), it will extend the piston 32 and carry therewith the auxiliary boom or stinger 24. It should be understood that the auxiliary boom 24 is supported, during its extensible movement, through various rollers and bearing or rub plates such as described in the aforementioned copending patent application.

By reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the outer channel members 2, 3, of the main boom 1 terminate outwardly of the channels 25, 26, that is to say, in the direction of the sheave-end of the derrick, thereby providing access to the elongated compartments 11, 12. The elongated compartments are suitably sized to carry the various hydraulic lines for supplying fiuid to the various hydraulic rams, such as the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 30. Moreover, auxiliary fluid-carrying lines 33, 34, are carried by these various compartments 11,12. When auxiliary equipment is not used on the derrick A, the lines are provided at their longitudinal ends with suitable plugs (not shown), which are readily removable so that the lines can be connected to suitable auxiliary equipment attached to the outer end of the derrick A.

The auxiliary boom 24 extends beyond the open end of the main boom 1 for a slight distance and secured to the free, end of the auxiliary boom 24 is a sheave-block assembly 3'5, which is substantially identical to the sheaveblock assemblydescribed in the aforementioned copending patent application, and consists of a pair of vertical sheave plates 36 which support a removable pin or pintle 3' 7, and rotatably mounted thereon in a sheave or pulley 38. The vertical sheave plates 36 are welded to a connecting plate 39, and welded to the forwardly presented surface thereof is a U-shaped retaining member 46, which is sized to be inserted in the open end of the stinger Z4. and spot-welded thereto through apertures 41 formed in the vertical side walls of the singer 24.

In order to provide a stop for regulating the retracting movement of the auxiliary boom 24, a U-shaped stopplate 42 is disposed over, and welded or otherwise rigidly secured to, the outer end of the stinger 24, and welded to the lower ends of the vertical walls forming part of the stop-plate 42 is a horizontal plate 43. The stop-plate 42 and the horizontal plate 43 include margins which are presented toward the pivoted or mast-supported end of the derrick and are adapted to abut a complementary oppositely presented face on the outer end of the main boom 1 when the stinger 24 is in its retracted position, substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, when the stinger 24 is in its retracted position, the plates 42, 43, in effect, form a continuation of the main boom 1.

concentrically disposed about the stinger 24 and being snugly, but nevertheless slidably, fitted upon the stop-plate 42 is a slide 44 having a rectangular cross-section and at its inwardly presented end (i.e. in the direction toward the mast-supported end of the derrick) abutting the outwardly presented surface of the connecting plate 39. At its inwardly presented end, the slide 44 is engaged by an upstanding catch 45 which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the upwardly presented face of the boom 1 and is spaced forwardly from the free end thereof. However, it should be noted that when the stinger 24 is in the retracted position, the slide 44 is sized to snugly fit between the forwardly presented surface of the connecting plate 39 and the catch 45, so as to be immovable therebetween. The catch 45 is integrally provided with a rearwardly projecting Wedge-like finger 46 having a camming surface 47 which is adapted to engage the upwardly presented surface of the slide 44. Thus, when the slide 44 is moved to its forwardmost position, it will be engaged by the camming surface 47 and forced under the wedge-shaped finger 46 and retentively held thereby. The finger 46 is integrally formed with a guide-slot 48 on its upwardly presented surface for accommodating a cable 49 which is trained about the sheave or pulley 38.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the slide 44 an extending laterally therefrom is a support bracket 50, which integrally includes a bifurcated end 51 for pivotally supporting a universal joint 52. 'Pivotally mounted on the universal joint 52 is an earth auger 53 including a reversible hydraulic motor 54. Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to one of the end plates of the motor 54 is a pair of extended cars 55 which are sized to accommodate a pin 56, in which manner the auger 53 is pivotally mounted on the universal joint 52.

The earth auger 53 includes a drive shaft 57 which is powered by the hydraulic motor 54, and rigidly mounted on the drive shaft 57 is an auger bit 58. At its free end, the bit 58 is provided with a cutting tip 59. The reversible hydraulic motor 54 is operated by means of hydraulic fluid under pressure, which is carried by the auxiliary fluid lines 33, 34. When the auxiliary equipment, such as the auger 53, is connected to the boom 1, the plugs are removed from the terminal ends of the fluid lines 33, 34, and the lines 33, 34, are connected to suitable fittings on the motor 54.

The auger 53 is adapted to swing from a transport position, such as the position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a work position, such as the position as shown in FIG. 7. It is, of course, obvious that, through the universal joint 52, the auger 52 is capable of swinging in almost any direction and is not limited to a swing which lies in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boom 1. When in the transport position, the shaft of the bit 58 is nested in a downwardly opening C-shaped saddle 61, which is welded to the under side of a support bracket 62, which is, in turn, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the under side of the main boom 1. The auger 53 can be conveniently raised from its work position by means of a chain or rope 63, which is removably secured to the shaft of the bit 58, and is permanently secured to its other end to the main boom 1. Thus, when it is desired to raise the auger 53 to its transport position, the hydraulic motor 54 is operated through a conventional hydraulic control system of the type disclosed in our copending patent application, causing the shaft 58 to rotate. Since the rope 63 is connected to the shaft of the bit 58, the rope d3 will wind about the shaft and cause the auger 53 to pivot about the universal joint 52, where it will ride its transport position. Similarly, when it is desired to lower the auger 53 to a work position, the reversible motor 54 is operated in the reverse direction, causing the shaft of the bit 58 to turn in such manner so that the rope 63 unwinds. When in the work position (the rope 63 is disconnected from the shaft of the bit 58. A hydraulic cylinder 0 is welded to a bracket 64, which is, in turn, welded to the under side of the boom 1. The cylinder c includes a piston rod p which is adapted to extend through aligned apertures a formed in the side walls of the saddle 61 when the piston rod p is in the extended position. This, in effect, serves as a safety device to hold the auger 53 in the saddle 61 when the auger 53 is in the transport position. The cylinder 0 is connected to the aforementioned hydarulic control system by fluid lines (not shown).

Rigidly secured to one of the flat faces of the bracket 50 is a pair of rearwardly projecting ears e for rockably supporting a latch 65, which is biased upwardly to the position as shown in FIG. 7, by means of a tension spring '66, which is secured to the latch 65 and to the bracket 50. The latch 65 is integrally provided with an upstruck hookengaging finger 67, which is adapted to engage a hook 68, the hook 68 being Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the exterior face of the sheave plate 36. The latch 65 is connected to the hydraulic motor 54 through a flexible chain or rope 69 in the manner as shown in FIGQ7. The chain 69 is of such length so that when the auger 53 is swung to its transport position, the chain 69 will pull the latch 65 downwardly, against the action of the tension spring 66. Similarly, when the auger 53 is swung to its work position, the latch 65 'will be swung upwardly to the position where it is adapted to engage the hook 68.

In use, the auger 53 is normally carried in its transport position to the work site. When at the work site, the auger 53 is lowered to the work position in the manner as previously described. Through the hydraulic control system, fluid is pumped to the hydraulic motor 54 where the shaft of the bit 58 Will rotate to unwind the flexible rope 63, permitting the auger 53 to swing to its work position through the force of gravity. At this point, the rope 63 is disconnected from the shaft of the bit 58. Of course, the rope 63 can be disconnected from the boom 1 in order to prevent interference with the operation of the auger 53 or may be thrown over the top of the boom 1 to an out-of-the-way position.

When the auger 53 is in the work position, it can be seen that the latch 65 is spring-biased to the position where the hook-engaging finger 67 will engage the hook 68. Since the slide 24 is movable along the stinger 24, the auger 53 will extend when the stinger 24 is extended. Thus, it can be seen that any desired work position can be attained by merely pivoting the boom 1 to the right position and extending the stinger 24.

When the stinger 24 is retracted, the slide 44 will abut and snugly fit under the catch 45. The rope 63 can be connected to the shaft of the bit 58 for swinging the auger 53 to its transport position in the manner as previously described. At this point, it should be noted that when in the transport position, the auger 53 will not extend with the stinger 24, since the latch 65 has been pulled out of engagement with the hook 68. Thus, it is possible to use the stinger 24 independently of the auger 53. It should be understood that the present invention is not necessarily limited to an auger, such as illustrated and described. Any suitable type of accessory equipment having a rotatable shaft is operative in connection with the present invention.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the earth augers may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim .and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable derrick comprising a base, pivot means mounted on the base, a boom pivotally mounted on the pivot means, a stinger operatively associated with the boom and being extensible with respect thereto, an anger pivotally mounted on the boom and being adapted to swing from a transport position, where it lies in juxtaposed position with respect to the boom, to an operative position, where it extends in a position substantially perpendicular to the ground, said auger including a rotatable shaft and a motor operatively associated therewith for powering said rotatable shaft, and a cable mounted on said boom and being optionally attachable to said rotatable shaft, in such a manner that when the shaft rotates the cable will wind up around the shaft and become progressively shorter in length, said motor being thereby capable of withdrawing said auger to its transport position when said cable is attached to said shaft.

2. A portable derrick comprising a base, pivot means mounted on the base, a boom pivotally mounted on the pivot means, a stinger operatively associated with the boom and being extensible with respect thereto, an accessory device pivotally mounted on the boom and being adapted to swing from a transport position, where it lies in juxtaposed position with respect to the boom, to an operative position, where it extends in a position substantially perpendicular to the ground, said accessory device including a rotatable shaft and a motor operatively associated therewith for powering said rotatable shaft, and a cable mounted on said boom and being optionally attachable to said rotatable shaft, in such a manner that when the shaft rotates the cable will 'wind up around the shaft and become progressively shorter in length, said motor being thereby capable of withdrawing said accessory device to its transport position when said cable is attached to said shaft.

3. A portable derrick comprising a base, pivot means mounted on the base, a boom pivotally mounted on the pivot means, a stinger operatively associated withthe boom and being extensible with respect thereto, anauger pivotally mounted on the boom and being adapted to swing from a transport position, where it lies in juxtaposed position with respect to the boom, to an operative position, where it extends in a position substantially perpendicular to the ground, said auger including a rotatable shaft and a motor operatively associated therewith for powering said rotatable shaft, a cable mounted on said boom and being optionally attachable to said rotatable shaft, in such a manner that when the shaft rotates the cable will wind up around the shaft and become progree sively shorter in length, said motor being thereby capable of withdrawing said auger to its transport position when said cable is attached to said shaft, attachment means mounted on said stinger, and complementary attachment means mounted on said boom for optionally permitting said auger to extend with said stinger.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,557,637 6/1951 Danuser 173-26 2,959,398 11/1960 Troche 173-28 3,022,839 2/1962 Troche 173-28 3,069,033 12/1962 Ferwerda 214-141 3,073,396 1/1963 Eckels 173-28 3,073,397 1/1963 Balogh 173-28 3,073,455 1/1963 Eckels et al 173-28 BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

2. A PORTABLE DERRICK COMPRISING A BASE, PIVOT MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BASE, A BOOM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE PIVOT MEANS, A STINGER OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOOM AND BEING EXTENSIBLE WITH RESPECT THERETO, AN ACCESSORY DEVICE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE BOOM AND BEING ADAPTED TO SWING FROM A TRANSPORT POSITION, WHERE IT LIES IN JUXTAPOSED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE BOOM, TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION, WHERE IT EXTEND IN A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND, SAID ACCESSORY DEVICE INCLUDING A ROTATABLE SHAFT AND A MOTOR OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR POWERING SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT, AND A CABLE MOUNTED ON SAID BOOM AND BEING OPTIONALLY ATTACHABLE TO SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT, IN SUCH A MANNER THAT WHEN THE SHAFT ROTATES THE CABLE WILL WIND UP AROUND THE SHAFT AND BECOME PROGRESSIVELY SHORTER IN LENGTH, SAID MOTOR BEING THEREBY CAPABLE OF WITHDRAWING SAID ACCESSORY DEVICE TO ITS TRANSPORT POSITION WHEN SAID CABLE IS ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT. 